Miotics (Includes Phospholine Iodide) ↔ Retinal Detachment

Severe Potential Hazard, High plausibility

Applies to: Aphakia, Myopia, Retinal Disorder

The use of miotic agents may occasionally cause retinal detachment due to drug-induced ciliary or accommodative spasm, which causes the lens and vitreous to move forward and create a retinal tear. Therapy with miotic agents should be administered with extreme caution, if at all, in patients with risk factors for retinal detachment, such as old age, retinal degenerative changes or other retinal disorders, aphakia, prior cataract extraction, or a history of severe myopia or retinal detachment.

Miotics (Includes Phospholine Iodide) ↔ Uveitis

Severe Potential Hazard, High plausibility

Applies to: Uveitis (Anterior)

The use of miotic agents is contraindicated in patients with active anterior uveitis and/or glaucoma associated with iridocyclitis. Pupillary constriction produced by these agents may aggravate the inflammation and predispose these patients to the development of posterior synechiae.

Miotic agents may cause a paradoxical transient increase in intraocular pressure, which can precipitate an acute attack in patients with angle-closure (narrow-angle) glaucoma or anatomically narrow angles. The risk is much higher with long-acting cholinesterase inhibitors (e.g., demecarium and echothiophate), since these agents can cause pupillary block and increase angle closure. Therapy with long-acting cholinesterase inhibitors should be administered cautiously, or avoided, in patients with chronic angle-closure glaucoma or in patients with anatomically narrow angles. The use of echothiophate iodide is specifically contraindicated in most cases of angle-closure glaucoma. Because chronic use of long-acting cholinesterase inhibitors may cause dilation of blood vessels and increased permeability, these agents should be avoided for at least 2 weeks prior to ophthalmic surgery so as to minimize the risk of hyphema. Miotic agents in general should not be used in patients with glaucoma secondary to unrelieved pupillary block.

Miotics (Includes Phospholine Iodide) ↔ Cataracts

Moderate Potential Hazard, Moderate plausibility

Applies to: Cataracts

The use of miotic agents has been associated with the development of lens opacities characterized by the appearance of anterior subcapsular vacuoles. The incidence of cataracts appears to be highest in patients treated with long-acting cholinesterase inhibitors (e.g., demecarium and echothiophate) and may also be related to age (higher in patients > 60 years of age), drug concentration, frequency of use, and duration of therapy (>= 6 months). Lens opacities usually regress if miotic therapy is withdrawn early in their development but often become progressive once they are established. Therapy with miotic agents should be administered cautiously in patients with or predisposed to cataracts. Slit-lamp examinations should be performed regularly, and miotic therapy discontinued if necessary.

Topically applied cholinesterase inhibitors are systemically absorbed, with the potential for producing rare but clinically significant systemic effects, including central nervous system disturbances such as confusion and seizures. Children with Down's syndrome may be particularly susceptible to the CNS effects of these drugs. Echothiophate, specifically, has also been reported to cause hyperactivity in these children. Therapy with ophthalmic cholinesterase inhibitors, particularly the long-acting ones (e.g., demecarium and echothiophate), should be administered cautiously in children with Down's syndrome.

Do not stop taking any medications without consulting your healthcare provider.

Disclaimer: Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided by Multum is accurate, up-to-date and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. In addition, the drug information contained herein may be time sensitive and should not be utilized as a reference resource beyond the date hereof. This material does not endorse drugs, diagnose patients, or recommend therapy. Multum's information is a reference resource designed as supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge, and judgement of healthcare practitioners in patient care. The absence of a warning for a given drug or combination thereof in no way should be construed to indicate that the drug or combination is safe, effective, or appropriate for any given patient. Multum Information Services, Inc. does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid of information Multum provides. Copyright 2000-2016 Multum Information Services, Inc. The information contained herein is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. If you have questions about the drugs you are taking, check with your doctor, nurse, or pharmacist.

How to Prevent Deadly Drug Interactions

Some mixtures of medications can lead to serious and even fatal consequences.